Double Meaning
by Mondai Senshi
Summary: Bakura seems to have all the answers for Ryou, but what do they mean? How do they consider each other, and is any kind of relationship even possible? Ryou&Bakura shonen ai, light yaoi. [Fluff] R&R, please. [Hiatus, but first priority]
1. The Spirits of Ancient Egypt

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
This fic is mainly just a socket for me to release all Bakura/Ryou shonen-ai thoughts, and is, therefore, supporting of that couple. DTT also supports Seto/Shizuka (serenity), Mai/Katsuya (Joey), Miho/Honda (Tristen - Miho does not appear in the American series), and Yuugi/Anzú (Téa), so those pairings may yet become an issue later on. The fic will most likely not get any more graphic than a kiss, so don't worry too much about it.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Ryou sat on his bed with his blankets pulled up over his shoulders and across his lap, silently reading from an old tattered book. The ghost of his yami took shape beside Ryou, his legs hanging loosely over the side of the bed, facing away from the boy whose body he shared.  
  
"What are you reading?" Bakura refused to look at Ryou. Being a tomb robber, he was somewhat uneasy making his presence known in the silent air of somebody's private room.  
  
Ryou answered slowly, being so deep in thought. "It's about ancient egypt. Myths and such. I wanted to see if it had any information about the millenium items."  
  
Bakura seemed amused. "Not likely," he said. "Most historians and paleontologists know nothing of us."  
  
Ryou looked at Bakura with a puzzled frown. "Us?"  
  
"The spirits of the millenium items - The pharoah, me, and the darkness within Marik's tauk." Bakura turned his head slightly, but still did not face his company.  
  
"That's right," Ryou looked back at the book and flipped the page. "I wasn't thinking, I guess." He continued to read for a few minutes before he next spoke. "I sometimes wonder why you were sealed within the ring, of all the millenium items."  
  
Bakura allowed himself halfway to grin. "I suppose it must be because, if I were in any other one of the items, I would never have found my way to you."  
  
Once again Ryou was caught off-guard by his yami's response. He looked up to ask what he meant by that, but Bakura had vanished from the side of the bed. Slowly, Ryou closed his book and put it on his night stand. He pulled his blankets off of his shoulders before climbing underneath his sheets and turning off his lamp.  
  
***  
  
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Sorry for insane shortness of the first chapter. X3 DTT shall try not to do that next time. Well, all comments are absolutely loved. 


	2. The Turnaround

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
For the lack of anything better to use in their place, I have used the words Yami (meaning dark, and often used in Yu-Gi-Oh in reffering to the spirits of the millenium items), chan (which, when put at the end of a name, is a very informal sign of respect), and aibou (which is often used by the spirits to reffer to their "vessels"). I apologize for any confusion I may cause.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Ryou walked slowly. He had no reason to hurry home, as there was nobody waiting for him. He took in his surroundings, seeing the world go on around him. Katsuya Jonouchi and Yuugi Mutoh were across the street showing off the new duel monsters cards they had just gotten and laughing to themselves over topics unknown to Ryou, just as his presence was unknown to them. A cold chill ran down Ryou's back and he turned to see Bakura drifting behind him, watching. Ryou seemed amused that people would walk right by his counterpart without a second glance, and sometimes even walked right through his arm or his body. And yet, it was a hollow amusement, somehow giving him a strange discontented feeling.  
  
"Yami-chan," Calling him by a pet name, Ryou asked Bakura, taking the chance of a few strange looks, "What are you doing there? Why aren't you in your soul room?"  
  
Bakura glanced at Ryou, then quickly turned his attention back to a point behind them both. "That man has been following us. I wonder what business he has with you, aibou."  
  
"It is possible, though, that he's just using the sidewalk, and happens to be headed in a similar direction." Ryou grinned.  
  
Bakura began to glare. "I suppose so. But I still do not trust him."  
  
Ryou stopped, and Bakura looked at him. Ryou was smiling. "You are far too protective of me, Yami-chan." Several people stared as they walked around Ryou and, many of them, through Bakura.  
  
***  
  
Katsuya sat in the booth of a local fast food resturaunt with Yuugi, and Honda. He slouched in the corner of the booth pressed against the wall. "Did anyone else notice?"  
  
"Well, yeah, I guess, but is that really any of our business, Jonouchi?" Yuugi sat across from Katsuya and Honda, but called Katsuya by his last name, as most people did.  
  
"The way I figure is," Katsuya sat up, then, and leaned over the table slightly. "It's not normal for Bakura to be THAT quiet - Something's not right."  
  
Honda nodded a few times. "I completely agree. I know that he didn't actually ask for our help, but sometimes strange behavior is a cry for help all its own."  
  
At that, Yuugi looked in the empty spot beside him. Katsuya had begun to speak again, saying that Honda was right. But Yuugi soon looked back to the two and spoke again. "Maybe he's having problems at home. Don't you think he seems depressed?"  
  
Katsuya looked to where Yuugi had been staring, but ignored his confusion and turned back to Yuugi. "I guess that's a possibility." He slouched again. "Sometimes I think that kid's too sensitive."  
  
Honda nodded. "Yeah, and way too quiet. Seriously, he creeps me out sometimes."  
  
Just then, Anzu walked up to the table and put a tray down on their table, the tray holding three hamburgers and a few bottles of condiments, as well as a bill. Yuugi reached into his pockets and pulled out a few bills and counted out the money. Anzu sat next to Yuugi for a moment and turned to the other two. "What are you guys talking about?"  
  
Honda swallowed a bit of his hamburger and began to explain. "We think Bakura's been acting kinda funny lately. He's been quieter and keeping to himself more than usual."  
  
Anzu nodded, then quickly stood and left without another word.  
  
***  
  
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Ehmm... Well, I'm still not sure exactly where I'm going with this, but 'tis fun, ne? Oo` Hmm... I wonder how I'll make this more, how to say... worthwhile. ^^ So far it's favoritism and ranting, but I hope it will get better soon. 


	3. Out to the Movies

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Not yet a decent sized chapter... But at least they are coming. ^^  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Ryou stood in front of the mirror, lost in thought, staring at his own reflection. "Yami-chan?" He muttered the name, still paying only half of his attention. Bakura leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom.  
  
"Yes, aibou?" Bakura, too, seemed slightly distracted.  
  
"I was thinking maybe I'd go see a movie today." Ryou awaited his spirit's response, but Bakura did not answer. After a minute he looked at Ryou, wondering if he would say more.  
  
After a long pause, Bakura finally muttered, "And so...?"  
  
Ryou sighed heavily. "I guess I just thought you might want to know."  
  
There was suddenly a loud rapping at the front door. Bakura looked toward the sound, then stood and vanished. Ryou walked into the front hall to open the door, then greeted Honda politely.  
  
"You know, Bakura," Honda called Ryou by his last name, "I don't think it's good for you to be alone all the time. How about you come hang out with me, Yuugi, and Jonouchi?"  
  
Ryou nodded. "Sure," he said curtly before inviting Honda in and looking for his coat.  
  
After a few minutes, the two of them walked out the door and headed for the game shop.  
  
***  
  
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Oooh, interesting... *begins to consider that she is writing aimlessly and shall confuse herself horribly* Well, now I'll really figure this out. No, really, though - I'll find the storyline if it kills me. 


	4. Dreams of Past

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
I think I found my direction~!! Oh, the possibilities~!! ^^ Read, read, enjoy the shonen lovieness~!! Oo` And I might even be able to get two fics out of my ramblings within my head~!! X3 Ah, ai desu~!!  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
After several duels and a round of burgers for everyone, Ryou went home again, distracted as usual, to his empty house. It seemed more lonely than usual, today, as Bakura stayed within the confounds of the millenium ring.  
  
That night, Ryou had a most unusual dream. He found himself walking through a hallway when he came across two doors, one on his left, and oneon his right. He instinctually turned to the left door - It was plain white with a round brass doorknob - and opened it. Inside was everything he was familiar with. There were momentos and keepsakes everywhere, but they had all been untouched for as long as Ryou could remember.  
  
Then he came across the millenium ring, sitting in the darkest corner of the room, on Ryou's bed. And yet, something seemed different about it. Ryou began to notice small differences - There were four, not five, points hanging from the edge, the center ring of the eye was missing, and the simple brown string from which it had always hung was instead replaced with a thin, tattered, golden chain. The ring alone he took with him, but soon found it to be lighter than he remembered, as he left the room, not caring for any of his other posessions.  
  
Then he took in the appearance of the other door. Simple though it was, it stood out tremendously. The door was painted black, but the paint was chipping in several places. There were flecks of a deep reddish, but most of them were worn down. The doorknob was a rounded red stone within a silver brace. Ryou turned the doorknob and slowly pushed the door open. He peered inside to a dimly lit room with an odd scent that Ryou could not quite identify. The walls were walls of stone with a texture similar to sand, and covered in small but detailed carvings and paintings. There was an odd assortment of stones, gems, and other simple yet beautiful items within the room, and several stones which were shaped similarly to an arrowhead.  
  
Ryou sat in the emptiest corner and stared at the wall opposite him. He got the strangest feeling that he was being watched. After several minutes of sitting with his back against the wall, Ryou jumped to the sound of Bakura's voice.  
  
"That's your wall, you know."  
  
Ryou turned to look at the spirit, who had suddenly appeared, leaning against the wall to Ryou's left. "My wall?" He repeated, not understanding what Bakura had meant.  
  
Bakura looked to the wall on his left, avoiding Ryou's stare again. "For a thousand years or more, I have had nobody to speak to. Subconscious thoughts passed through me, without my knowing, that I still cannot remember. But some thoughts made themselves known to me. As rare as they were, I found myself writing them down, not wanting to loose them. I've began to run out of room, though, as you can probably see."  
  
Ryou nodded and glanced around again. "But," His eyes fell again to the carvings before him, "What do you mean by 'your wall'?"  
  
Bakura almost grinned, lowering his head, and chuckled. "I believe you already know, Aibou," He replied, then turned to face Ryou, "But if only you could see." Bakura again stood and vanished into the thich stench of the air.  
  
The millenium ring slipped from Ryou's hands and landed on the floor.  
  
***  
  
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Nyaa, 'tis ours, precious... It musn't ask us, not its business... X3 Anyways, I am enjoying the progression of ficcyness. This shall be fun. 


	5. Schooltime Daydream

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Haihai, again with the creepiness. ^^ YAY~!!!  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
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Miho stood in the hallway beside Anzu's locker. "Seriously, though, they weren't kidding, Bakura's been acting really funny lately~!!"  
  
Anzu pulled out her books and closed the locker. "I know, Miho, but I really don't think it's anything to worry about. He'll be fine."  
  
"Maybe," Miho frowned, "But let's not forget about that spirit, either - It might be up to something." She shivered just thinking about a spirit from a thousand years ago taking over a student's body. "Poor kid."  
  
Anzu shrugged. "Well, I'm sure he'll be okay. If he gets much worse, then we'll worry, okay?"  
  
Miho nodded and followed Anzu as they walked toward their first class of the day.  
  
***  
  
Ryou lay his head in his arms, which he had carefully folded on his desk. There were fifteen minutes until school actually started, and he had so many questions for Bakura that he fealt that he should at least try to ask. Before long he found himself again within the confines of Bakura's soul room, and again he looked at the wall in vain. Everything was written in hieroglyphs, which Ryou was not especially familiar with. But he somehow felt as though he saw his name written all across the wall. He turned and checked quickly for Bakura, but the spirit was not inside of the limits of the small room, and Ryou quickly checked in the other room - His own soul room, he was sure - without any success.  
  
Instead, Ryou found the book he'd been reading, of ancient egypt in all of its glory. He skimmed through a few of its pages, and soon began to loose track of time. After what seemed like several hours, Ryou flipped open to a page with ancient egyptian hieroglyphs sprawled across the page, a rough translation of each placed underneath. Ryou quickly flipped to the back of the book and tore out the blank page.  
  
Ryou flattened the paper against the rough walls of his Yami's soul room and pulled a pen out of his pockets. He quickly began translating everything he saw, one symbol at a time, filling his paper. At the same time, he had to leave many holes in the text, because several of the words did not have a written translation.  
  
***  
  
Yuugi turned as the teacher stepped into the room. She welcomed the class quickly, and all of the students stood and said hello - All of the students except for Ryou. Yuugi was not the only person to notice. All of them - Yuugi, Katsuya, Honda, Anzu, Miho, and even Seto were all alarmed. Yuugi raised his hand, but didn't take his eyes off of his friend.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
... I wrote the opening notes and the closing notes after everything else, and I was slightly hyper. ^^^^ 


	6. Omake:Obsession:Extras

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
--- Extras and outside stuff  
  
I needed to put some lyrics in here, just as a window of thought. ^^ Sorry for my insanity, but I kinda think that the song goes well with this fic. Oo` Ka?  
  
Disclaimer: This song does not belong to me, and no profit is being made in sharing the lyrics. It was only deemed fitting.  
  
***---***  
  
How come I must know  
  
Where the obsession needs to go?  
  
How come I must know,  
  
The direction of relieving?  
  
  
  
Deep in the Night  
  
Far off the light,  
  
Missing my headache  
  
Visions of Light  
  
Sweeter delight  
  
Kissing my love ache  
  
  
  
How come I must know,  
  
How come I must know....  
  
The direction of relieving.  
  
  
  
Deep in the Night  
  
Far off the light,  
  
Missing my headache  
  
Visions of Light  
  
Sweeter delight  
  
Kissing my love ache  
  
  
  
How come I must know,  
  
Where the obsession needs to go?  
  
How come I must know,  
  
Where the passion hides its feelings?  
  
  
  
How come I must know  
  
Where the obsession needs to go?  
  
How come I must know,  
  
The direction of relieving?  
  
***---***  
  
Ehm... Yeah, by the way, these lyrics are from the opening theme of .hack//SIGN. X3 Really good song, too. 


	7. Rough Translation

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Nyaaa, got lazy for a little while, there, but I'm back again~!!  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Bakura took form beside Ryou, this time sitting. Ryou turned to him quickly. "I still don't understand it, Yami-chan." Bakura simply grinned.  
  
"You will, aibou." He looked at the scrap of paper Ryou held. "What is that?" Bakura sounded only vaguely interested, but refused to take his eyes off of the paper.  
  
Ryou shrugged slightly. "I was trying to figure out what this all meant." He skimmed through the wall until he came across one of the gaps he had in translating, then pointed to it. "What does that one mean?"  
  
Bakura's grin dissapeared. He read the sentence that Ryou had pointed to. "I cannot stop the light from growing in my heart."  
  
Ryou opened his mouth to ask what Bakura had meant, but Bakura quickly turned his head. Instead Ryou thought silently.  
  
***  
  
Yuugi sat beside Ryou in the ambulance as it rushed to the hospital. They had been in the school nurse's office for a while before they called an ambulance, and still Bakura had not awoken. Yuugi was allowed to go for several reasons. Not only was he the one to alert the teacher to the situation, but he also seemed to be closest to Ryou of all of the students in the classroom. At the same time, Yuugi also had near the best attendence and grades.  
  
And yet, Ryou still would not wake up. As soon as they arrived at the hospital and Ryou was taken to a room, Yuugi called everybody's house to either tell their parents what room Ryou was in or to leave it on their answering machines. Yuugi sat beside Ryou for hours, though it seemed like days. He watched the clock until school was out, and then he waited for the others to arrive.  
  
As he expected, Katsuya and Honda were the first to show up at the hospital, having come straight from school, and soon Anzu and Miho came, bringing Shizuka with them. Seto would not show up any time that day, nor would Marik or Mai, Yuugi was almost positive. Time passed a bit less slowly, then, and after a little more than an hour, Ryou turned uneasily in his sleep.  
  
He had not moved at all since he was in the classroom that morning.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Again I leave off in the middle of nowhere. But at least I'm working on it, huh? 


	8. Afternoon Awakening

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Alright, I'll keep going with the storyline, and try to pull Ryou and Bakura together more.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Ryou lay silently. His eyelips moved involuntarily before they slid half open. He stared at the white ceiling of the hospital room, then pulled himself into a sitting position, the white sheets falling loosely to the bed. Everybody in the room suddenly stared at him, as though they thought he was still asleep. Ryou looked around, his eyes drooping almost closed. He blinked several times, then stared at the small crowd in the room, then opened his mouth, about to speak, before finding himself at a loss of words. He then tried again. "Aren't we supposed to be in school?"  
  
The entire population of the room broke into different levels of laughter despite themselves. Ryou continued to glance around the room at the faces around him. Once again he got the feeling of being watched, and he turned in time to see Bakura sit on the side of the hospital bed. "Yami-chan?"  
  
Everybody stopped laughing.  
  
Ryou turned back to the room. "What's going on? Why am I here?" He turned to Bakura again to see if he had any answers.  
  
Yuugi began to answer. "You wouldn't wake up. Class started and you were asleep, we went to the nurse for a while, and then to the hospital."  
  
Ryou stopped listening as Bakura spoke. "They were worried, aibou."  
  
Ryou seemed puzzled. "Why would they worry about me? I was just looking for you." Bakura seemed very serious.  
  
"They had no way of knowing. And besides, what was so important that you had to see me then?"  
  
Ryou spoke to the spirit that only he could see and hear. "The wall."  
  
Bakura grinned, but not in an entirely pleasant way. "You had questions about your wall? Tell me, did you get any of them answered?"  
  
Ryou was thrown by this answer. None of Bakura's responses had actually answered his question. He shook his head slightly. "No, I guess not." He was not aware of the tension in the room around him. Only Yuugi seemed to have an idea of what was happening.  
  
Bakura stood and turned towards Ryou. "Use more discretion in the future. You will cause less fear." Again he vanished into the air.  
  
Everybody in the room stood awkwardly, not knowing what to say.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Woops. X3 Almost didn't change this. Yeah, so anyways, here we go. What fun. 


	9. Omake:Ryou's Wall:Extras

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Oooh, writings on the wall... X3 Now this takes some poetic-ness and a lot of care. Hafta be slightly subtle with some things, and show a slow progression. Not necessarily easy, either.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
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I have found my vessel, at last - A simple-minded boy to harvest the fruits of my labour, and dirty his hands in my good-beridden name. Posession is only too easy, though it may become more difficult when he learns of me and who I am. As of yet he knows only the lapses of his memory. Somehow, I can't help feeling only the slightest of remorse for my actions - A sliver of guilt, one could say. I wish I could have a body of my own, as not to destroy the life this boy has likely been working for, the aim of his pitiful existance. However cruel, my actions are not without reason. I cannot be stopped - I must have the pharoah's power.  
  
Somehow I feel myself becoming sentimental. My strength is falling with every act of mercy. I cannot stop the light from growing in my heart. It latches onto the walls of my soul and stays forever, each time taking longer before it allows me the freedom of my hate-filled acts, and waits less before it springs again upon the darkness. It is trying to smother the anger, hate, and disgust. It is trying to destroy the darkness and bring light upon the shadows of my soul. My heart is no longer mine to command.  
  
Again I pause, second-guess myself, and show mercy to those undeserving. Their life hangs within the struggle of control between the luminosity of my heart. I feel a kindness growing every time I turn my back. I hate that feeling. I despise the compassion I feel, and I wish only to be freed of this boy's clutches.  
  
I see it now. I could have left at any time. I could be without this fickle soul of mine, without the light in my heart and soul. It is ever growing. And yet I am capable of leaving at any time. I could be gone without a second thought, and this boy free of my spell as I would be of his. And yet I hold tight to the vessel that carries my. I rest within his soul as he does within mine. The light may not be only a weakness, but at times, a strength. I do not know what to think anymore. Perhaps I am simply failing to see my own shortcomings. Perhaps this light is more blinding than it seems.  
  
I must save this boy if ever again his life is within my hands. I cannot let him leave this world, or I, too, would suffer. I need this boy's body as I need my own soul. We have intertwined within each others' hearts and souls, grown as one, as I am sure we will stay forever. I do not believe it to be possible that this could have happened with just anybody. I feel that there may yet be a reason that I was sent to him, as I am sure that there is a reason for the fate of all of the millenium items. The pharoah, too, seems to be quite attatched to his vessel. Though I still do not see how I found my way here, I am sure that it was not a mistake.  
  
Emotion is nothing more than weakness. Feelings are only a barrier that I cannot pass. I have tried to often to escape the true focus of my thoughts, and yet, I cannot. Though I try to ignore them pounding at the back of my head, my thoughts always return in full force within a matter of time. I have decided not to run anymore. Running is futile. I shall begin more often to write my thoughts of this boy on this wall. This is now his wall, and his alone. My thoughts and feelings shall be written upon this surface for naught but inspection. I cannot escape them. This wall shall forever remind me of this. I will not retreat. I will fight, even if it is against myself. I will not lie. I will not try to fool myself. The boy to whom I am bound has found his way into my thougts, as I am sure I have into his.  
  
The first of the records, yet only one of several cases, where I find myself lost. I do not know where to go from here. I sit alone in the room of my soul, with nowhere to turn. I have not yet found the path I should take, and do not know why I should be in such a condition. Never before I found this boy have I felt so directionless. The spell he has upon my mind grows stronger every day. I long for days of past - Days where I hated him. I worry for my light, and take care not to smother it. I would have done anything from letting his candle stay lit in my shadows. Time changes people, I finally see that, but it does not work alone. Change cannot take place without those who wish the best for you. My light... He sees the best in me. He believes that I am not the shadows to which I have taken claim. My light cares and worries for me as I do for him. He is clueless.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
So much irony. Actually, not really. I just enjoyed the use of the words "light" and "dark/shadow", as well as the words "heart" and "soul". ^^ I think it's a little deep, anyways. 


	10. The Walk Home

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Almost finished this chappie once when my mom's Windows ME pulled a blue screen of death on me. And even then they lied - Ctrl+Alt+Del did not restart it, it just froze it even more~!! ... Oo`  
  
Anyways, for anybody who is not a rabid fan that already knows this, "Yami Yuugi" is the spirit of the Millenium Puzzle (( which is not really important except that he'll be making an entrance and I don't want to confuse people )).  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
As the group stepped outside, they all began to say goodbye for the day, then soon began to head home in their seperate directions. As Ryou began to walk away, Yuugi stood watching him, as though making sure he was okay. He then nodded and started to follow when Katsuya asked where he was going. He yelled back that he was going the long way home, and Katsuya shrugged and walked away. Yuugi caught up with Ryou, and they trod in silence for quite a while before either of them spoke. Bakura and the spirit of Yuugi's puzzle floated behind them a bit towards the middle, keeping an eye on each other. Although no person could see a spirit except the one wearing the item, the ghostly figures could see each other quite well.  
  
Yuugi turned to Ryou. "What were you thinking today?"  
  
Ryou stared at the ground as he spoke. "I was in the spirit of the ring's soul room."  
  
Yuugi glanced at the watchful spirit behind him, then turned back to Ryou. "Why there?"  
  
"Because," Ryou answered simply. "I had a question for him."  
  
Yuugi pressed. "What kind of question?"  
  
"His soul room has ancient writings and hieroglyphs that cover the walls, and he said one of them was my wall. I just wanted to know what it said."  
  
Yami Yuugi frowned. "That would make sense."  
  
Yuugi looked back at his spirit with a puzzled look on his face, and Bakura simply peered at him out of the corner of his eye. "A thousand years of isolation, it would be wise to write down your thoughts." Yuugi began to wonder if his spirit had done the same, and without asking, the spirit answered. "I can only wonder if there are writings inside of my mind. I have yet to explore the depths of my soul room. Where the ring's mind is a riddle, mine is a labyrinth. The center may yet hold a wealth of knowledge, of power, but finding your way there may be near impossible." Bakura scoffed at the analogy.  
  
"So, then," Yuugi asked, "Did the spirit tell you what it said?"  
  
Bakura seemed alarmed, and Yuugi's spirit's interest was piqued. Ryou just shook his head. "Not much. Only one line."  
  
"What was it?" Yuugi seemed intent on getting to the bottom of this.  
  
Bakura hissed, "You don't have to answer that." Ryou glanced back at him before looking back at the road.  
  
"It was nothing," he said. Yuugi saw the game shop ahead of him, and quickly said goodbye to Ryou. The spirit of the puzzle faded away, waving a farewell to Bakura before he vanished.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Don't worry, I'm building up to something, I think. X3 Another night spent in his own head for Ryou. And I also have what may or may not be the entire writings of Ryou's wall uploaded, but not added yet. X3 I'll put it in soon enough. 


	11. Passage for the Occasion

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Nyaa. "Ryou Bakura", somewhere around 15 years old, if I'm not mistaken. While most people reffer to Ryou and his spirit as Hikari and Yami, I preffer Ryou and Bakura. Oo` It can be confusing, sometimes, but I love both Ryou's first name and his surname. It may seem confusing, to those who are not fans, but Ryou Bakura is Ryou's full name, and alot of the characters call him Bakura. X3 I think. Kinda like most of 'em call Katsuya by "Jonouchi," as I usually do as well. (( That was a DTT ranting. ))  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Yuugi pulled the Puzzle's chain from his neck and hooked it onto the post of his bed. Yami Yuugi stood behind him, a look of concentration on his face. He seemed to be reasoning with himself as he began to speak. "The hieroglyphs... I would like to see them for myself. Perhaps he has answers."  
  
Yuugi turned to the spirit. "Answers? To what?"  
  
"Me, I suppose," Yami Yuugi replied simply. "To life in Ancient Egypt. Maybe to the Millenium Items."  
  
Yuugi nodded. "Well, maybe we could arrange that."  
  
"No," Yami shook his head. "The spirit of the ring does not want anybody to know what is written on his walls. He would not welcome us willingly into his mind." Yuugi just stared, wondering what the spirit of the puzzle meant, so Yami Yuugi explained himself. "The Bakura's spirit was not happy when you asked what his wall said," he spoke harshly, again reffering to Ryou by his surname.  
  
"Then we'll need to find a way," Yuugi replied simply.  
  
***  
  
Ryou held his millenium ring fondly. He stared into the center of the eye, which decorated the simple triangle plate that spanned the center. He closed his eyes and pulled the ring close to him. When he opened his eyes again, they were somewhat duller than usual.  
  
***  
  
Ryou stepped through the simple and almost too familiar hallway towards Bakura's room. He tried to open the door, but he couldn't get any farther than turning the knob. Instinctually, Ryou knocked. After a few moments, he heard a scraping, then a large thud. Bakura opened the door just enough to see outside hesitantly from the inside of his soul room, then, upon seeing Ryou, swung the door open and walked back into a corner, sulking, before he sat with a slouch. Ryou began to walk in, but then stopped in the middle of the room, feeling uneasy at Bakura's reaction to his arrival. He turned to see a large wooden blockade sitting on the ground behind the door.  
  
Ryou sat beside Bakura and again looked at his wall. After several minutesof silence, he spoke quietly. "Yami-chan?" Bakura simply looked at Ryou from the corner of his eyes, and Ryou allowed his curiosity to rule over his logic. "What does that say?" He pointed to a seperate area of the carvings.  
  
Bakura looked up at the carvings again and read the nearest sentence that he was in the mood to share. "Emotion is nothing more than weakness."  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Hey, a twist along the path~!! There shall be fluff by the time I am through, though, I garuntee~!! ^^ Live, my not-quite-loyal fans, LIVE~!!! Thrive upon the wealth of the fluff~!! Oo` When I add some. 


	12. A Trip Backwards

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Another Japanese word shall be added here - 'Dono'. It is very much like 'chan' (( or 'san,' 'kun,' 'sama,' etc. )) except that this word means master, and was used in the days of the samurai. It's all-but lost now. But I think I like it.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Every day in class, Ryou took notes diligantly and did all of his work. But when he was put on the spot to answer a problem, he would mumble an apology that he had not been paying attention. This, alone, was unusual enough to cause a commotion in the class, and his constant excuses of having too much homework to hang out with his friends did not seem to fit his constant inability to produce the homework the next morning.  
  
Yet Ryou's distraction was only a part of the change. The spirit of the puzzle had not caught trace of Bakura in several weeks, and, as it turned out, neither had Ryou. After all that had happened, Bakura seemed to feel either too angry or too uncomfortable to make himself seen. Ryou would constantly visit his soul room, but even when Bakura wasn't locked away he was very distant in disposition. Ryou found himself unable to gather the strength and courage to ask Bakura, and he certainly would not open up without some coaxing.  
  
Still, Ryou hoped and waited for a better mood before he would attempt to ask anything. He had convinced himself that Bakura was not in the mood to entertain, and expecting any more of him was certain and instant doom.  
  
Ryou sat quietly, studying the appearance and meanings of the hieroglyphs, trying to find a pattern. He sketched some of the drawings that scrawled across the walls in the background of the symbols. Bakura suddenly reached over his shoulder, pointing to the sketch that Ryou was working on, saying simply, "Your proportions are off."  
  
Ryou jumped slightly when Bakura reached over his shoulder, then looked up at the spirit's face with a kind of bewilderment. Bakura stood and watched over Ryou's shoulder for a minute. Ryou quickly put the pencil back to the paper and attempted to finish the sketch, but he could think only of the fact that Bakura was watching him. He stood, then, as well, and thanked Bakura, then vanished again as he left his mind and returned to the tangible world he had known for years.  
  
***  
  
That night Ryou let his mind wander while he sat on his bed, not tired enough to sleep. He pulled out his notepad and began to study the hieroglyphs again, chewing lightly on the eraser of his pencil. Whenever a thought occured to him, no matter how abstract or seemingly useless, he wrote it down quickly in case it may help him later. Then he began to draw, not being able to concentrate any more. Ryou closed his notepad again and placed it on the floor beside him, then lay back in his bed. After a few minutes he spoke. "Yami-chan?"  
  
Bakura appeared, but hesitantly, seeming annoyed. "What is it?"  
  
Ryou sighed. "What was it like in Egypt?"  
  
Bakura seemed to be thinking over this for several minutes before he replied, "I could show you."  
  
Ryou sat upright immediately, somewhat startling Bakura. "Can you really?"  
  
Bakura grinned, the usual malicious twist to the otherwise kind face. "Of course. However, I can only show you while we are in my soul room."  
  
"Yours? Why only yours?"  
  
The grin was quickly replaced with irritation. "Because I don't like your soul room."  
  
Ryou lowered his eyes and nodded lightly. Bakura again vanished into the air, and Ryou, too, let his mind wander to the room of his soul.  
  
***  
  
Ryou's form took shape in Bakura's soul room, and he looked at Bakura with an eager and curious expression. Bakura frowned, but stood in front of him, calling upon the power of the Millenium Ring. While inside of the soul room, the artifact had an effect on both of the two at the same time. Ryou felt the ground dissapear beneath his feet as he and Bakura defied laws of time and space, and he soon was surrounded by ancient egyptian life. He looked around, taking in the surroundings. He turned to the shadow of an egyptian structure and, seeing somebody sitting there, stared in intense disbelief.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Uh, yeah. X3 Sorry for the (quote-unquote) cliff-hanger, but I really wanted to update, and I hafta go, and whatnot, etc., I'm getting somewhere, now. 


	13. Bittersweet Memories

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Yeah, I know, I didn't use my newly-introduced vocabulary. X3 I thought I was gonna, but I guess I couldn't fit it into that chapter. I'll try to make good use of it, though...  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Bakura sneered at Ryou's amazement. "You're surprised? It's not as though you've never seen him."  
  
Ryou glanced back to the spirit. "Is it really you?" The figure in the shadows had silvery white hair cut quite short, in comparison to Ryou. His skin was a darker tan, and he bore a scar upon his right cheek that could almost have been a "t" that was crossed one time too many. He wore a loose robe that was deep red in color, and his face was wider than Ryou's. He sat with his back arced slightly, withdrawn, though still watching his surroundings. He had a grin full of malice and hatred, which suddenly dissapeared while Ryou watched.  
  
Bakura turned to see what had hindered the mood of his past self, and Ryou became aware of the spirits sudden discomfort and lack of enthusiasm, to say the least. Ryou watched as a tall man dressed in elegent robes and adorned with golden decorations and jewels. The man said something to Bakura's past self with a taste of disgust, and Bakura grew tense behind Ryou, as well as before him, his fists clenched and trembling.  
  
Then the manturned and walked away, avoiding looking in the direction of Bakura, as though he was a child throwing a tantrum, and he would cease misbehaving if he was paid no attention. Ryou chanced a question.  
  
"What's happening, Yami-chan?"  
  
Bakura suddenly became aware of his current state and breathed deeply before he relaxed his hands. "It's nothing." Ryou knew that was a lie. But the robed Bakura suddenly found his feet and stalked away, traveling mostly in the shadows of pyramids and other ancient structures, Ryou and the spirit of the ring following.  
  
Before long, the three came to a pyramid that seemed as though it was less than half-way built. The thief continued on to face the pharoah who, in Ryou's time, inhabited the Millenium Puzzle. He bowed low before his pharoah.  
  
"Sir, I would like to assist the slaves in building your tomb."  
  
The pharoah shook his head slightly. "It is not your place to work on the pyramids. Why commit yourself to such harsh labor?"  
  
"At what time was labor decided to be below a civil man?" He wore his same malicious grin as before, only this time it was only to keep himself from sneering. "I wish only to ensure that the catacombs which you will some day find yourself within are worthy of you, my pharoah."  
  
There was a slight sarcasm in his voice every time he used the word "pharoah," which may have been a part of the suspicion that the pharoah held towards him. This thief did not just crawl out of an overlooked hole in the ground. He was well known in these parts, and heavily accused. But however many times they tried, nobody could prove his guilt of any crime.  
  
"You have never before been the first to commend the splendor of your pharoah. Why, then, do you come before me today with such a request?"  
  
The thief held his grin and the eyes of the godly king before him. "It could be said that my eyes have been opened by thewealth of your power. I simply wish to repay my debt to you, my pharoah."  
  
By now the pharoah himself had grown weary of this pointless riddling game. He dismissed the thief with a wave of his hand, letting him know that he would not stand in his way should Bakura wish to work.  
  
Ryou turned to the spirit that hovered still behind him. "What did he mean by that?"  
  
***  
  
Ryou and Bakura found themselves suddenly back in Bakura's soul room, much to Ryou's surprise. The millenium ring faded back to its dull golden color, and the room grew dark again, scarecely any light within it. Ryou began to speak, but Bakura seemed to be calling upon the ring again, and before Ryou could ask where they were going, his feet again lifted from the ground, and Ryou found himself, this time, high above the ground on a dark, moonless night. As he watched below him, he saw people running in terror. Soldiers in heavy golden plate mail rode on beautiful white horses, which also bore golden plates of armor, while others ran by foot. They were armed with large, crude blades or sharp daggers.  
  
They were murdering the entire village.  
  
Ryou turned to Bakura, whose eyes were darting back and forth with a few seconds between. Ryou looked where Bakura did, then, in time to see a girl cut down, then again to see a blade go through a man's stomach, again to see a woman's neck slit, again and again, trying to keep up with Bakura. Then he noticed the tears. Bakura would never cry, that wasn't quite it. The tears did not leave his eyes, did not dampen his skin, but instead made them catch what little light there was in the midst of the shadows, glowing with a kind of pained emotion that Ryou could never have begun to known of the spirit. Then, without warning, he clenshed his eyes shut and shook the moisture from his eyelids, then plunged himself downwards, towards the brutal chaos.  
  
Ryou quickly followed as well as he could, but then stopped short when he saw Bakura spread his arms before a couple, who were cowering in the shadows near a burned out torch. The man had deep, cinnomon colored eyes and thick brown hair, the girl had large red-violet eyes and untidy, silvery hair. Both wore little more than rags. But Bakura was powerless here. The soldier's sword went right through him and carelessly took the life of the couple. The man was cut nearly in half, while the girl, shielded by her husband, was left to die from blood loss. Bakura's head hung limply. He dropped to his knees, floating both above and within the ground beneath him. His arms fell limply to his sides before he pulled himself up again, as dignified as he could.  
  
Only then, looking below where Bakura's arms were previously, did Ryou see the boy, not even ten years of age, hiding in a hole in the foundation of one of the egyptian structures, only daring to look out of a hole no bigger than a crack in the ground, tears streaming down his face, silver locks of hair hanging limply in his face, his eyes red and wide in horror.  
  
Then everything faded as, once again, Ryou and Bakura stood heavily in Bakura's soul room again, the spirit falling heavily on the ground. He pulled his legs to him and hugged his knees. Ryou turned and opened his mouth to speak, then paused, not knowing exactly what to say. He stood for several minutes before he spoke. "I'm sorry."  
  
Bakura's voice gave its response, shaking slightly, but still holding its greatest capacity of cruel anger. "Get out."  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Yes, that felt good. Reflection, confusion, and that's just about as accurate as you'll find anywhere, 'cept I made up the descriptions of characters and whatnot. X3 Anyways, yeah, another update and, I think, my longest chapter yet in this story. I think I might be able to finish in a few more chapters. 


	14. The Spirits' Collision

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Yeah, I know, I didn't use my newly-introduced vocabulary. X3 I thought I was gonna, but I guess I couldn't fit it into that chapter. I'll try to make good use of it, though...  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Ryou walked down the sidewalk absent-mindedly the next day. He continuously bumped into people and mumbled his apologies, then continued to walk. He came to the Kame Game Shop and hesitantly walked to the door and pushed it open. Sugaroku Motoh greeted him kindly and asked how he could be of help, then called Yuugi downstairs by Ryou's request. Ryou politely asked Yuugi if they could talk a bit more privately, and followed Yuugi outside, then they began to walk the streets.  
  
"So, then," Yuugi asked after a few minutes, "What did you want to talk about?"  
  
Ryou continued to stare at the sidewalk. "The spirit of the ring," he answered simply. "He's been too quiet lately, I'm worried."  
  
Yuugi almost brushed the problem off as a blessing, but the look in Ryou's eyes told him that it was serious. He questioned him further. "How so?" The spirit of the puzzle gained interest and appeared beside Yuugi.  
  
"The other day I asked about ancient egypt, so he showed me-"  
  
Yuugi interrupted, "Showed? How did he do that?"  
  
"I'm not entirely sure, but we were in his soul room, and I think he used the magic of the millenium ring."  
  
Yuugi's spirit answered more clearly. "There is a way to call upon memories as the inhabitants know them by using the millenium items. Unfortunately, I have no clear memories, so the attempts would have prooved useless for me."  
  
Ryou looked up at Yuugi, who had not said anything after Ryou last answered. "Any thoughts?"  
  
Yuugi shook his head. "Not yet. What did he show you?"  
  
"He showed me a memory of ancient egypt, volunteering to help build the pharoah's pyramid, and a massacre of a village."  
  
Yuugi stopped then. "A massacre?"  
  
Yami Yuugi, too, stopped. "An entire village? Strange..." Yuugi looked at his spirit in an attempt to understand, so he continued. "Most things that people mention are familiar to me, and sometimes even bring extensive, if fragmented, memories to my mind. But this slaughter... I don't recall any attacks on a village. What village could it have been?"  
  
Bakura appeared, suddenly, between Ryou and Yuugi's spirit. "Conveniant that you would have no recollection of my village, is is not? Than you could not have known that I was a sole survivor of the village of Kuruelna, could you?"  
  
The pharoah's spirit looked at the spirit of the thief as though trying to understand a foreign language. "I remember Kuruelna village. I remember... Akunadin had horrible news that night. It had been attacked by bandits, everything was destroyed. There were no survivors, and nothing of value was left in the city."  
  
If the spirit of the puzzle had anything more to say, Bakura would not let him continue. "So, then, I was worthless even as a child." He vanished, feeling his emotions raging stronger than he would have liked. Bakura could not show a weakness in the presence of the pharoah.  
  
Ryou looked to Yuugi for understanding. The two boys had both heard only half of the conversation. Yami Yuugi nodded his head to Yuugi before vanishing again into the puzzle. Yuugi opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly heard Katsuya Jonouchi call from behind him, saying that the group was headed out for burgers. Yuugi turned to Ryou, again. "I don't suppose you'd like to come with us?"  
  
Ryou half-grinned. "I'm afraid the spirit of the ring may have my head for that. Maybe next time."  
  
Yuugi grinned and nodded, too. "Just be careful. I know it won't help the situation, but I really don't trust him."  
  
Ryou nodded, then bade Yuugi goodbye before turning and heading home again.  
  
***  
  
Several minutes later, Bakura's form appeared before Ryou. "I don't appreciate that."  
  
Ryou did not expect this, and nearly tripped over his own feet. When he recovered, he replied simply. "Don't appreciate what?"  
  
Bakura had a kind of a scowl on his face, his eyes slanted in deep frustration. "The pharoah is the last person I had wanted to see at the time."  
  
Ryou grinned innocently. "Forgive me, yami-dono, I had no way of knowing. You wouldn't talk to me."  
  
Bakura growled, "Then maybe you should have taken the hint that I did not want to be bothered!"  
  
"Was I supposed to know that the spirit of the puzzle bothered you?" Ryou continued to play innocent.  
  
Bakura frowned, still. "I have never gotten along with him, you knew that very well."  
  
Ryou shook his head heavily. "If I had known, I would never have gone to talk to him. I just assumed that you were always in a bad mood."  
  
Bakura stopped moving, making Ryou stand still from having not expected that. "I'd like to talk to you in my soul room, if you don't mind."  
  
Ryou frowned. "I can't exactly pass out while I'm standing in the middle of the street, now, can I?"  
  
"Sit down," Bakura answered simply.  
  
If he had been talking to anybody else, Ryou would have taken that as a joke of sorts. But he shrugged and leaned against a building on the sidewalk, then let his body fall limp as he entered the hallway between his and Bakura's soul rooms again.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Nnh, that chapter felt unproductive. Oo` Yes, I do believe that I am coming to the great conflict of the story. Oh, what fun this shall be. 


	15. Forgotten Heartbeat

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Nyaa... X3 DTT is currently on a computer ban, but what they don't know can't hurt 'em. Indeed.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Bakura glared as Ryou pushed the wide door open. He sat heavily in the corner between the wall reserved for Ryou and the back wall. Before Ryou could speak, Bakura spoke in a tone that very clearly told his host that he was not to be taken lightly. "You will never do that again," he said fiercely. It was not a suggestion or a request, simply a statement.  
  
Ryou suddenly felt bad for having talked to Yuugi, though it had gotten Bakura to speak again. "I'm sorry," he replied quietly.  
  
That somehow made Bakura even more upset, but he could find no reason to chastise Ryou for it. His face was twisted with malcontent, and his eyes burned with a fierce longing to draw blood. He tore his eyes from Ryou and stared at the floor, fists balled beside him, for only a few seconds before he leapt to his feet, staring at Ryou, his head barely two inches from the face of his companion. He hissed menacingly, "I can't stand you."  
  
Ryou cringed slightly and an odd, limp appearence overtook him. With somewhat glazed eyes, Ryou managed to ask, stammering slightly, "What? Why...?" He narrowed his eyes in deep thought as he stared into Bakura's unblinking, cold eyes, then down at the ground, searching for an answer that he could not find. "What did I...?" Bakura turned and sat back in the corner again, staring at the ground, seeming to be in deep thought. Ryou stumbled out of the soul room, then, not wanting to leave completely, walked into his own.  
  
***  
  
Ryou sat quietly in his soul room, looking at the picture frames across the walls. He took in designs about angient egypt, most a dark golden or brownish color, when his eyes fell upon Bakura's face. The photograph was clearly that of Bakura from a few minutes earlier, when he and Ryou were face to face. The look of hatred in his eyes was unbearable. Ryou stood and stalked towards the picture, then pulled it off of the wall and flung it across the room, watching the glass shatter and cut through the photograph in the frame.  
  
Ryou suddenly felt awkward, sitting in a room he didn't know, and stood, quickly stepping through the plain white door, then looked around, seeing the dark red and black door before him and a hallway that extended to his right, which he quickly followed. Suddenly, his head jerked upright and he leapt to his feet, then, after finally deciding on which way to turn, he walked home as quickly as he could.  
  
***  
  
Ryou closed his door quietly, then turned to go to his bed, but jumped at the ghostly figure he saw. With eyes wide in surprise, fear, and bewilderment, he tried to find his words, but was not fast enough as Bakura spoke, a heavy, bitter sarcasm in his voice.  
  
"You look as though you've seen a ghost." He grinned with his usual maniacal smirk.  
  
Ryou stumbled backwards, stammering incomprehensibly, and tripped over his own feet, slamming his head into his door as he fell. He sat upright immediately and pressed himself against the door, which immediately slammed open as his mother's voice floated in.  
  
"What's going on in there?" Ryou's mother demanded. "Are you okay?!"  
  
"I-I... I think...!" Ryou could barely even recognize the words as they came out of his mouth.  
  
After a pause that seemed like hours, the door slid shut again. Ryou could feel the blood draining from his face, and slowly went limp.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Wheee~!! ^^ This is getting fun again~!!! Oo` Yeah. Anyways, I shall love you for any comments you may make. 


	16. Bakura's Costly Favor

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))  
  
***  
  
Alright, I know I got behind, but I'm working on it, okay? Just don't kill me. Yet. Let me finish a few more fics, first.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
Ryou's head jerked upright again and he quickly looked around, finding himself laying on his bed, now holding himself up with his elbows. He looked around for a minute, then lay his head back in the pillows. Had he just imagined the ghost, or had it really been there? Before he could decide, he had fallen solidly into sleep.  
  
***  
  
As morning broke, Ryou pulled himself out of bed with little effort and quickly dressed before hurrying to meet Yuugi and the rest of his friends at their usual hamburger shop. The four of them talked for an hour, joking around and arguing about nothing, and ate hamburgers until they were full. Jonouchi Katsuya and Honda Hiroto left at the same time while Yuugi stayed a minute longer, partially waiting for Ryou and partially watching Anzu work.  
  
Ryou slowly pulled himself out of the booth and carefully approached his friend. "Yuugi," He said, choosing his words carefully, "I have a question..."  
  
Yuugi turned to face Ryou with slight concern when he heard his tone of voice. "What's wrong?"  
  
Ryou shook his head. "Nothing's wrong, really, it's just," Ryou shifted uneasily as Yuugi waited in patient concern. "Last night I found myself in a white room, and when I went out the door I was in a hallway - Maybe I was just imagining it, I don't know..." Yuugi seemed very confused by this description, but Ryou continued. "And then I saw a ghost - He looked just like me. I don't really remember what happened next, but then I was lying on my bed, like I'd blacked out or something."  
  
Yuugi stared at the ground as he tried to make sense of what Ryou had described. He blinked a few times before he asked, without looking up, "Bakura, where's your millenium ring?"  
  
Ryou was puzzled by Yuugi's answer, and answered simply, "I left it in my bedroom."  
  
Yuugi nodded. "I think I need some time to think about this." Ryou nodded quickly and thanked Yuugi before he turned and headed home. Yuugi sighed and glanced again at Anzu, then followed suit.  
  
***  
  
Bakura sat in his soul room, eyes glazed over, as he thought. He sighed heavily before deciding to look around in Ryou's soul room to see if anything was out of the ordinary. He stood heavily and walked to the door, then pulled it open. He glanced around, desperate for a break in the silence. He shifted uneasily as he saw a photograph face down on the ground, a couple of shards piercing the thin paper, a few more scattered nearby.  
  
Bakura glanced around, in the way that children often do when they are about to do something they know that they shouldn't. He stepped towards the picture, avoiding the broken glass nearby, and picked it up delicately. He recognized the face of Ryou, though it had Bakura's own fierce torment and hate-filled glare. He never thought it was possible for that face to look so horrible, and began to curse himself for defiling his Ryou in such a way. His grip tightened around the picture frame, and he closed his eyes as tightly as he could.  
  
He was a tomb robber. It is not becomming of a thief to let his tears fall.  
  
Bakura let his hands hang beside him for what seemed like hours, then carelessly dropped the picture as he quickly walked out of the room again.  
  
***  
  
Perched silently on Ryou's bed, Bakura watched him breathe in his sleep. He hated the feeling of weightlessness that always came when he watched Ryou, knowing that it came only with the ethereal loss of his sense of touch. And yet, watching as this boy slept, it seemed worthwhile. There was an emptyness in Ryou's espression as he shifted uneasily in his sleep, and Bakura was infuriated by his longing to comfort him.  
  
***  
  
Ryou pulled his socks onto his feet and pushed his hands through the arms of his jacket. He began to dash out of his room, carefully stopping to make sure the door was closed, then hesitated as the Millenium Ring caught his eye. He quickly grabbed it from his bedpost and turned, again, to leave, closing his door with a soft click.  
  
***  
  
As Ryou pushed through the doors of the fast-food resturaunt, Anzu smiled and pointed him in the direction of Yuugi's table, though it was hardly necessary. By this time, Yuugi practically had his own table which, of course, was waited on by Anzu herself. Ryou grinned and said hello to Yuugi and Honda, Katsuya being late again.  
  
Then, as he was about to sit, Ryou tensed, his eyes widening, then slumped again, hair falling before his eyes. As he looked up again, Yuugi was reminded of the time that the spirit of the ring challenged the spirit of his own puzzle to a shadow game - Ryou's soul was trapped within the magic card "Change of Heart," then, and was miserable in every way. The only difference now was the slight annoyance and embarrassment in his voice as he spoke to Yuugi.  
  
"Pharoah, I need to speak to you."  
  
Yuugi looked startled, but reluctantly nodded and stood. The millenium puzzle seemed to glow as Yuugi stood taller, a more serious, almost distrusting look replacing the innocent carefree one. "Bakura." Yhe pharoah spoke through Yuugi, as Bakura had through Ryou. "What do you want?"  
  
Honda shifted, somewhat uneasy, and watched in silence. Anzu, too, seemed to have stopped waiting tables, and was watching from across the room. Bakura spoke quieter than usual, aware that he was in a public building, not wanting to cause much of a scene. "My vessel seems to have lost all memory of my existance. I don't understand why. I just..." Bakura lowered his eyes again, and when he next raised them, they were spiteful and directed, again, at Yuugi. "I need your help."  
  
The pharoah responded carefully in an attempt not to upset Bakura. "How is it that you believe I can help?"  
  
"I am not familiar with most soul rooms, and I do not know what is normal of his. I could use assistance in finding the problem, and in fixing it." Kindness toward the pharoah, even in such small amounts, did not come naturally to Bakura, and he could not help but sound awkward.  
  
Still the pharoah nodded his consent. Yuugi closed his eyes for a minute before they grew wide and kinder than before, and grinned at Bakura, who then followed suit. He closed his eyes for only moments before Ryou shifted uneasily, as though he had a feeling that something odd had happened. Regardless, he grinned and sat beside Yuugi, who only smiled back politely. After a short, awkward silence, Anzu stood beside the table.  
  
"How many hamburgers will it be, today?" She did not bother asking what kind of food they wanted anymore - Yuugi only came for their hamburgers. But the three answered, Yuugi requesting an extra three for Katsuya in case he showed up.  
  
As Anzu turned to go, Yuugi turned to Ryou. "Bakura?" Ryou, in turn, faced Yuugi, who continued talking. "Do you think I could borrow your millenium ring?"  
  
Ryou grinned and nodded. "Sure," he agreed, lifting the string from his neck and handing it to Yuugi. "Mind if I ask why?"  
  
Yuugi smiled triumphantly. "I wanted to show my grandpa. He really loves ancient egyptian stuff like that."  
  
Ryou couldn't help but laugh a little. "Just make sure he gives it back."  
  
"Sure thing," Yuugi nodded.  
  
***  
  
***  
  
I've decided to make a sequal, and I've got the first (very small) part of it done, but not even a chapter's worth. Also I've officially decided on where I'm going with this story, except for the real details. I don't think I'm gonna stop working for a while, but if I do get distracted, I'm apologizing now - In advance. 


	17. Soul Room Conference

Double Meaning

gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))

-

Alrighty, then, I decided to stop being mean to everybody and update. (( Nearly 4 months later, I know, but there will be plenty of time to kill me fater I've finished the fic. I hope. )) And due to the fact that my Shonen Jump subscription finally brought Ryou and Bakura into the story, I now have to fix the whole Ryou-don't-live-with-his-parents oversight...  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.

* * *

Yuugi sat heavily on his bed for a minute before he held the millenium ring before his eyes, enthralled by the thought that so much evil could come from it. He felt a burning stare from above him, and looked up to see Bakura glaring impatiently. A deep voice spoke from beside Yuugi, who turned to see the pharoah speaking.  
  
"It would be ill-advised of you to threaten this boy. Especially if you want a favor from either of us."  
  
Bakura said nothing, but sneered in response and vanished into the air again, soon followed by the pharoah. Yuugi placed the string of the Millenium Ring around his neck alongside his puzzle, then shifted back and crossed his legs on his bed, letting his head fall limp to his chest.

-

Yuugi looked around. The hallway that both seperated and connected Yuugi's mind and that of the Pharoah was quite similar to the one that stood between Ryou's soul room and Bakura's. The main difference was the color - The floor here was a pale turquise, while the walls were a musky brown color. Yuugi's room often stood on the left, the wall a stained wood pattern. The Pharoah's soul room was on the right, the door seeming to be metallic, with a large carving of the the millenium items' mark, an eye, mounted high on the door.  
  
However, at this time, Yuugi's door stood at the end of the hallway, opposite where Yuugi stood, while the thief's soul room stood on the left, the pharoah's remaining on the right. The hallway, too, was filled with a thick, tense air. Yuugi stepped in between the two spirits' doors and, out of curiosity, stared at Bakura's shadowed door. He reached towards it to push it open, then jumped as the spirit of the pharoah spoke beside him.  
  
"It won't do you any good to try. He's barred the door, he obviously likes his privacy. I don't think it would be a good idea to test his patience."  
  
Yuugi looked up at his guardian spirit and nodded before turning back to the soul room of the pharoah, who had dissapeared once more. As he puched the door open, he saw Bakura sitting on a ledge high in the room, one leg hanging down above the heads of the thief's companions. The pharoah was standing near a wall not far from Yuugi.

-

Ryou stood in front of his apartment building and waved to his parents as they drove away. It would have been nice if they could have stayed for more than just the one night, especially considering the timing. He went back upstairs and into his apartment, but as he closed the door behind him, he simply stood in the middle of the silence. After several minutes, which seemed like at least half an hour, where Ryou could not think of anything to do to kill time, he retreated to his bedroom with a large yawn.

-

"I don't think it's a good idea," Bakura snarled at Yuugi and the pharoah.  
  
The pharoah simply stared placidly back at Bakura. "Does that mean you have a better idea?"  
  
"It won't work," Bakura said, still snarling, impatiently.  
  
"You never will know until you try."  
  
Bakura sneered, then seemed to be jumping as he dissapeared, moments later, laying on a beam high above the heads of Yuugi and the pharoah. "It'll sound like a filthy lie. I can't speak such thoughts without biting my tongue."

* * *

So, uh, yeah. I actually know how the next chapter's gonna end. More or less. I think I'll start working on it NOW...


	18. Path to the Solution

Double Meaning

gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))

Woop, I did better this time, honest!! I didn't even take a week!! dance of victory Anyways, this is kinda just to show you I'm not gonna let myself die again. Not until the last chapter or two, anyways... Oo;  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.

* * *

Ryou woke, again, blinking in the sunlight now pouring through his window. It was far too early to be as clearly awake as he was. After an hour of trying to get some more rest, he couldn't think why he was awake already, or what was different, even, about this morning compared to the last few months, maybe even a year, of his life.  
  
Ryou found himself laying with his arms crossed under his head, wiggling his toes out of boredom. After a long while of this, he pulled himself out of his bed and walked to his closet. As he slid the doors open, his eyes fell upon his Monster World game set. He pulled out his board and, walking into the living room, began to set it up. After he reconstructed the board in his usual design, Ryou returned to his closet, and came back with a box of metallic figurines. He placed the box on the table and slowly started to look at them all.

Yuugi awoke that morning to yelling and shouting. He was barely conscious enough to realize that it was the spirits arguing at the foot of his bed, and did not care to resolve their issues at that hour. It took a great deal of effort to sit up, and when Yuugi had finally managed this much, he muttered to the two, "Quiet down, you'll wake everyone up." At that point, the fact that Yuugi was now only half asleep registered in the mind of Yami Yuugi, who lost interest in whatever it was he and Bakura were arguing about. He turned, instead, towards his hikari, and answered, puzzled, "But aibou, nobody else can hear our quarrel."  
  
By then, Yuugi had managed to push himself off of his bed, and had just started towards the stairs, the two millenium items clenched tightly in his fist. He muttered, again, "Oh, right," and continued down the hall, gripping the handrails carefully as he descended the flight of stairs and, placing the millenium items on the game shop's front counter, headed outside.

As Ryou pulled a small monster figurine out of the box on the table, he only had time to take in the basic shape of the simple artwork before his eyes fell upon a wine-red and white cloth. He quickly began to uncover it, placing characters of all different types on the table near him. When he pulled out the cloth, he could already tell that something was delicately wrapped inside of it, and, as he began to unroll the fabric, he recognized it at once as the cloak his father had sent from Egypt around the same time as the Millenium Ring, and he began to wonder how it had gotten there.  
  
But this thought quickly vanished from his mind as the figurine inside caught his breath. Not only was he unsure of how it, too, had found its way into his collection, but he also had certainly never expected to look upon his own face within his collection of Monster World items.

As he walked down the street, Yuugi had an uneasy feeling in his stomach quite unrelated to his not having eaten breakfast, which only seemed to make the former feel worse. The spirit of the pharoah began to walk beside him. "Are we going now, then?"  
  
Yuugi nodded, still slightly drowzy but completely awake. "I wanna get ta the restaurant in time to meet Jonouchi and Honda, still, and see Anzu."  
  
Yami Yuugi simply nodded and vanished, while Yuugi felt a sudden short, but very distinct, squirm in his stomach. He was sure Bakura was laughing.

Ryou was suddenly startled by a knock at the door. He quickly bundled the cloth around the simple figurine of himself and placed it back within the box, then shoved others on top of it and heaved the box back onto the floor beside the table. He then quickly leapt to his feet to reach the door. As he pulles it open, he stared into the face of Yuugi who was, despite himself, grinning.  
  
"G'morning, Bakura!" He spoke in his usual carefree voice.  
  
Ryou forced himself to grin. "Yeah, it's a good morning, alright."  
  
Yuugi shifted uneasily. "D'you think I could come in and talk to you?" Upon Ryou's confusion, Yuugi added, "About the ghost, you know?"  
  
Ryou's confusion changes to uneasiness, but he nodded and thanked Yuugi politely as he asked him to come in.  
  
Yuugi's eyes quickly fell upon the Monster World board, and his uneasy grin was replaced with a smile. "I haven't seen this in ages!"  
  
Ryou followed Yuugi back towards the table. "Yeah, I found it, erm - In my closet."  
  
Yuugi, who was now kneeling and admiring the game board, turned his wide eyes to Ryou with a slight look of concern. He jumped, suddenly, as Bakura snarled from his vantage point, standing behind Yuugi. "Can we please just get this over with?"  
  
"Eh- Right, c'mon, Bakura." Yuugi climbed to his feet and, grabbing his wrist, led Ryou into his own bedroom.

* * *

Yeah, the beginning of the next chapter may be fun. Honestly, I have to wonder what's going through Ryou-chan's head right now... XD 


	19. Omake:Whispering your Name:Extras

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))

Okay, I had ta define Ryou's name, and the multi-meaning thing just fit him so well and was so increadibly poetic that I had to write a random poem. But I felt like sharing anyways.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.

* * *

Figment of my lighter side,  
Your name alone brings me joy.  
For when I feel incomplete,  
I whisper it silently.  
  
I speak of a completion,  
And of quantities of skill.  
I speak of dormitories  
And of my quiet hostel.  
  
I wish myself endurance,  
And end so softly spoken.  
I bring an understanding  
That I never knew before.  
  
I bring these thoughts to my mind  
To keep me striving for more,  
And all of this I manage  
Just by whispering your name.

* * *

See? See?! Okay, I'll go... T.T


	20. Into the White Hall

Double Meaning

gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))

Mwee, this one's short, yup. But this next chappie should be quite interesting. Sorry for dragging it out so much.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.

* * *

Yuugi now dragged Ryou to his bed, then sat cross-legged on it himself. Ryou stared in wide-eyed bewilderment. "What the hell are you doing?"  
  
Yuugi cringed slightly - He'd never heard Ryou use any kind of foul language before now, and he got a distinct impression of Bakura within his friend. Again there was a sudden unlasting ill feeling in his stomache, but this time it was more dramatic, and it took all of his effort not to let Ryou notice this. Still, he had to keep trying. "I want to show you something," Yuugi sounded eager and, he hoped, showed no trace of worry in his voice.  
  
Ryou hesitantly joined him, sitting cross-legged facing Yuugi. As he did this, Yuugi lifted the chain of the Millenium Items from over his neck and placed them on Ryou's, then held the puzzle and seemed to be concentrating very hard.  
  
Yuugi spoke again. "Relax, now - Try to step into your mind..." His voice was deeper this time than it had been earlier.  
  
Ryou seemed confused by this, but he closed his eyes in concentration and did as he was told. Only then did he find himself in a simple white hallway.

Four doors lined the walls before him. Behind him was only pure light. As he looked at the doors, he noted on his left, closest to him, a simple white door. As he pressed it open, he suddenly had a sense of deja vou.  
  
Ryou remembered being here once, but only when his eyes fell upon a shattered picture frame did he come to realize that this was the room he found himself in once. He looked around, then, more slowly. The room was increadibly bright, and, though he could find no fault in it, Ryou couldn't help but think that it was somewhat dull and far too blindingly light. Just as he thought this, images began to cover the walls. Most were simple designs, but there were a few places with small notes in Japanese, and even a couple in Egyptian.  
  
This was enough to make Ryou feel uneasy, and he slowly, steadily made his way to the door. As he closed it behind him, he noticed the silvery gray color of the door, then the large dull circle that looked almost as though it was fire, but purely white, upon the gray. Yet, he quickly turned and looked at the door next to his own. It was a large, simple door, save for the stone eye insignia mounted high upon it. He paused for only a moment before pushing the door open. Inside was a large room that looked as though the walls were made of stone. There were halls and stairs everywhere, and, fearing he may get lost, Ryou quickly closed the door again.  
  
He then looked across the hall at the plain wooden door and, as he pressed it open, upon all of the childish toys inside. All types of games imaginable could be found inside, from dice and decks of cards to chess, even a few haphazardly placed video games. Ryou looked around for a moment, but there was not much depth to the room, and he certainly did not want to disturb anything inside, so he was soon finished looking, and stepped out again.  
  
He turned, now, to the last door. The morbid look of the red hidden by black made Ryou's skin crawl, and he began to turn away, but his curiosity yearned to know what stood behind it. He had an unexplainable feeling that his recently acquired restlessness may be settled if he could just step through this doorway.  
  
Ryou took a deep breath before he turned the crimson door handle and, after opening the door, quickly closed it as he slid inside. As the door settled shut, the last of the light vanished from the room.

* * *

Woop, now it's getting fun, again... Please let it stay that way... More caffeine...


	21. Past Confrontation

Double Meaning

gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))

-x-  
  
NOTE THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW - There are exactly 3 lines spoken in this whole chapter, and they are written in Japanese. I have them all indexed at the bottom, so go look there if you must. And thank me, because I'm never doing a chapter like this again if I can help it.  
  
Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.

* * *

Ryu stood with his back pressed against the door for several minutes, waiting for his eyes to adjust, but in vain. He then pressed his hands against the door behind him, slowly spreading them across the stone, which felt almost as though it was covered in a thick layer of mildew. Still, he could make out some symbols, carved in the wall, and was almost sure they were Egyptian. He turned to his right, then, and stepped sideways along the wall as he felt, making sure he didn't trip on anything. He soon reached a corner, and as he walked along the next wall, after several steps, he paused and looked upon the wall with blind eyes. As he did this, the wall was alit. Indeed, they were grungy walls, with ancient Egyptian heiroglyphs scrawling across them, but around and within the heiroglyphs were scrawling images and figures. Suddenly Ryou became aware that lights cannot just appear out of nowhere, that fire needs to be started by someone or something. He quickly turned to the source of the light and saw the ghosted version of himself, now completely solid, standing between two high wooden torches, each of his hands above the --respective-- torches as though he had summoned the flame from nothingness, his head lowered and his eyes closed in a prayer or incantation. Ryou stumbled backwards against the wall startled, for the second time, to see this spirit before him. Bakura half opened his eyes and approached Ryou, who was pressed against the wall, shaking slightly in fear, until his face pressed within two inches of Ryou's.  
  
Ryou was petrified with terror and confusion as Bakura pressed his face into Ryou's silvery hair, whispering maliciously into his ear. "Ore no namae wa Bakura desu. Anata no namae wa Ryou desu. Watashi wa Yami desu, anata wa omote tomo hikari desu. Juu nanasai desu, demo, sensai desu.¹" As he said this, the spirit pulled his head back enough to look Ryou in his eyes, yet his own remained without emotion.  
  
Ryou recognized the words to mean that this ghost called himself Bakura, and told Ryou his own name, as well. He called himself darkness, Ryou light and front, but he also told him that he was both seventeen and one thousand years old. A throbbing pain began to pound at the inside of Ryou's forehead.  
  
The spirit's hands, which had, only seconds before, been against the wall to either side of Ryou, were now moving slowly towards his face. As he found it harder to breath, the pain in Ryou's head grew. The spirit's hands brushed gently across Ryou's cheeks before resting carefully on either side of his head above his ears. He spoke again, this time in a kinder tone. "Watashi no koto wo misemasu.²"  
  
Ryou wondered only briefly what he meant, as only seconds later the room vanished around Ryou. He saw nothing, and felt only Bakura's hands upon his head. He then had vivid images, which must surely have been in his mind, of countless games, all of which Ryou won without trouble, yet he could not recall playing any of these games. Perhaps it was his imagination, but were his eyes narrower, darker? Each time, too, when he had claimed victory, Ryou's opponent broke down, fell to his knees, covered his ears, or even seemed to be hysterical, but they all screamed in some sort of agony. Then he felt it - The weightless, sorrowful feeling of falling into the purest of darkness.  
  
A single tear began to roll down Ryou's cheek.  
  
Suddenly the darkness gave way, and Ryou saw himself slowly etching symbols into the very wall upon which his back was still pressed. The maniacal look had returned to his eyes. It was then that he heard him whispering in a tongue he could not understand. Still, the words he spoke raised Ryou's heart into his throat. He had never heard anything before that had made his heart swell. The one thing that could have brought him clearly back to his senses would have been the danger of friends, which was set before his eyes.  
  
He saw himself playing a game again - It was Monster World - The pieces seemed to be moving on their own, all of Ryou's friends among them. This game was far too serious, and Ryou could feel beyond explanation that this was not an ordinary game. He knew that much more was at stake - If it was body or mind he was unsure, but he was fairly certain it was one of the two. This alone kept him from feeling free, led by the words whispered in his ears.  
  
But then this, too, dissapeared, and he saw himself, his face just the same as when he looked into the mirror every day, sitting before the wall - His wall - Scribbling loosely on paper. A figure appeared before him, and ryou was not sure why it now seemed normal for him to see his figure in two places at once. But the form that had only just appeared had a worn expression of forced annoyance.  
  
Forced? Why had that word come to Ryou's mind? It seemed quite honestly hate-filled. and yet, as he thought about it, something about his expression told Ryou that this was not truly even dislike - Simply a confused torment.  
  
And then he walked beside the jubilent youth, still hard at work sketching the characters carved into the wall. Bakura crouched low, his hands folded neatly on his lap, and he leaned towards Ryou - He did not dare to touch him, but simply breathed the odor of his hair. He paused and then, hesitantly, stood, though not completely. After a minute, he reached over Ryou's shoulder and pointed to the images that he was sketching, muttering something to him.  
  
It all overwhelmed Ryou - Bakura had been focusing hard to continue placing images in his mind, and sprung back to reality, letting their connection faulter and break, as he felt Ryou's head jerk suddenly in a hushed sob. He lifted his eyes, then, brimming with tears, and said in a shaking voice, "Bakura-kun, boku no koibito desu ka?³"

* * *

¹ My name is Bakura. Your name is Ryou. I am shadows, you are the surface as well as light. I am seventen yeas old, but, I am one thousand years old.  
² Let me show you who I am.  
³ Bakura, are you my beloved? 

-x-  
  
Oh, gawd, that was living hell to have to write. Someone send me pocky, now...


	22. Lethargic Standstill

Double Meaning  
  
gninaeM elbuoD  
  
(( Mondai Senshi ))

-x-

Oh, I love playing with name meanings, they're so much fun Anyways... Through my research and according to what I already knew, Ryou-chan's parents and sister Amane (?) are never said to be alive or dead - I read that, every now and then, Ryou has been known to write letters to his sister. I think I remember reading somewhere that Ryou said he left, or maybe had to leave, home because of all the mysterious dissapearances of the friends that he played Monster World with. That's where Bakura comes in. Actually, it was some time after Bakura began to control Ryou that he became aware of his presence, before which he only knew about some strange happenings... I'll stop, now...

Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.  
  
-x-x-x-x-  
  
Yuugi stood with his ear pressed against the red door with the black chipped paint. He turned to the spirit of the pharoah. "I think we should be going about now - We can talk to them later."  
  
Yami Yuugi nodded. "There is much that must be done, besides. And we needn't anger the spirit of the ring by disrupting his own private matters." The spirit dissapeared into thin air as Yuugi headed out of the hallway into reality.  
  
-x-  
  
Several days later, Yuugi sat, again, with Katsuya and Honda in the resturaunt where Anzu worked as a waitress. The three of them and Anzu, though especially Yuugi, seemed distracted. Since the attempt to reconnect him with Bakura, Ryou had been acting rather lethargic. He hadn't left his room, and refused to speak much - especially about the spirit of the ring - claiming that he only needed a bit of time to think. Still, Yuugi and his friends tried not to let it bother them too much. They teased, joked, and laughed almost as much as usual, though they may have lacked a bit of their usual enthusiasm.  
  
-x-  
  
Ryou lay on his bed silently. He looked out of the window, avoiding the stare of Bakura, who sat on the other side of the bed. Bakura could not blame him - Everything had been so hectic and, he was sure, overwhelming. At Ryou's last question, the last thing he said, Bakura had been unable to answer. Instead he searched Ryou's eyes for an escape, but none came, and Ryou had soon slipped out of Bakura's hands and walked out of the door. The silence was the most horrible thing that Bakura had ever expirienced, and, over the last few days, he had almost always remained within his soul room.  
  
"Why couldn't you answer?" Ryou asked, barely audible even in the silence of the room.  
  
At first Bakura had thought he imagined it, but changed his mind immediately as Ryou looked at him for the first time in days, eyes again brimming with tears.  
  
Bakura sighed heavily, knowing that he must be especially careful what he said. After several minutes, in which Ryou had again turned his attention to the window with a new sense of dissapointment, he spoke.  
  
"I cannot love you, Ryou - I am nothing more than a spirit, a preserved memory of someone who once was." Bakura, too, was difficult to hear fully. "There could be nothing between us, though if there could, it would be my one ambition." Ryou continued to stare out of the window. "You must eat, Omote-chan, or you will not live much longer." Having said this, Bakura vanished again, and it was much later when Ryou decided to take his advice.  
  
-x-  
  
As Yuugi walked back into his grandfather's shop that afternoon, the phone began to ring, and he hurried to answer. "Hello," Yuugi said quickly, "Kame Game Shop, how may I help you?"  
  
He was a bit surprised to hear Ryou's voice on the other end. "Yuugi? I was wondering if I could talk to you."  
  
"About what?" Yuugi was both curious and puzzled.  
  
"About the spirit of the ring."  
  
Yuugi nodded, though Ryou had no way of knowing, and said, "I'll be over in a few minutes."  
  
-x-  
  
At this point, Ryou couldn't have cared if Bakura didn't want to be in the same room as the pharoah. He sat on the couch with a red robe draped carefully over his shoulders, examining a small tin figurine of himself in what seemed to be a magician's outfit. He ran his fingers across the sides time and time again, enthralled by every inch and every tiny detail. He was suddenly startled by a knocking at his door, and placed the figurine carefully on top of the robe, which he lay on the coffee table. He then hurried to the door, which he opened only enough to see a sliver of Yuugi's face, at first. He then muttered a greeting as he pulled it open enough for Yuugi to step inside, then led him to the couch and sat down.  
  
Yuugi did not know what to say, at first - Ryou sat with his shoulders hunched and his face, dull and limp, in his hands. Luckily, Ryou spoke first.  
  
"He always has been violent, hasn't he?"  
  
Yuugi seemed mildly surprised by this. "I suppose. Kindness and compassion aren't really found in a thief, are they?"  
  
Ryou seemed to sigh. "He wouldn't even answer..."  
  
Yuugi seemed even more puzzled by this. "Answer...?"  
  
"I asked him," Ryou said slowly, carefully, "what he thought of me. He couldn't answer."  
  
Yuugi didn't answer immediately, trying to be sure that he gave Ryou a fitting answer, and struggling with his uneasiness. Even then he began slowly. "The spirit of the ring seems to have trouble showing any heartfelt emotions. He knows anger, hatred, wrath, maybe even jealousy - He has for the last thousand years. But he doesn't know how to tell people when he's happy, nervous, sad, even infatuated. It just isn't his way - You need to give him time to learn."  
  
Ryou still didn't seem entirely satisfied with this answer. "But still, he is only a spirit - I can never talk to him face to face anywhere real, or..." Ryou seemed uncomfortable beyond the ability to finish his thought and, if his face was not already rather pink as though he had a cold, Yuugi would have felt sure that he was blushing.  
  
Yami Yuugi sat beside Yuugi, now. "Omote-kun, please let me speak to the Great Thief alone - Leave the puzzle in his care."  
  
Yuugi sighed, thinking quickly. "Bakura," he said, "Take the Millenium Puzzle, the Pharoah wants to talk to the spirit of the ring."  
  
Ryou nodded in silent consent and carefully took the chain from Yuugi, looking at the small tin figurine still, face blank, rather than at Yuugi, who slowly stood and walked towards the door. As he walked out, Ryou looked up, finally, and said, "Thank you for your help." Yuugi turned to face him, then shot a quick grin and a thumbs-up before he closed the door behind him.  
  
It was quite a while later when Ryou finally decided to retire to his room, grabbing only a single potato chip before he went. He tossed the puzzle on the bed, first, then looped the ring's string over his neck, as it had been hanging from one of his bedposts, before laying on his back, staring at the ceiling, holding the puzzle and examining it carefully. He noticed that it began to grow warm, as did the ring on his chest, and he was sure that they were talking in somebody's soul room.  
  
-x-  
  
"There is a way, I'm sure of it. Unfortunately, search as I may, I can't remember any details."  
  
"Then it's no good," Bakura said flatly, lounging on the nearest set of stairs.  
  
"That's not true at all," The pharoah wore a clever, almost sinister, and still somehow regal, smirk.  
  
Bakura scoffed. "Even if something can be done, there's no use hoping unless somebody knows what the choice is."  
  
"Oh, but I do know," The pharoah still grinned cunningly. "I simply don't remember." Bakura glared at him out of the corner of his eyes, a disgusted look of pity across his face. The pharoah spoke again. "We need only for somebody to search my mind for me."  
  
Bakura's eyes lit up with a rare burst of excitement.  
  
-x-x-x-x-  
  
Oo-wa-ooh... Fat hobbit is always so polite... You keep nasty chips.  
  
Anyways, finished another chapter. Gah, I so wish my sister had internet, honestly. Could have posted this as soon as I'd finished, instead I wait four and a half hours longer. Gah. Boredom. Anyway, the next chapter will be hard to get started, so I'll apologize beforehand for my slowness.


	23. Inside the Labyrinth

Double Meaning

gninaeM elbuoD

(( Mondai Senshi ))

-

Argh... Agitating... Well, hopefully I'll be able to finish the next chappie here and the next in Shadows of Understanding before too much longer.

Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.

---

It was quite a while later that Ryou lost interest in waiting, so he hung the Millenium Puzzle from his neck before he returned again to his living room. He made his way to the couch and lay there, flat on his stomach, slowly running his fingers across the thin fabric of the egyptian cloak. He sighed heavily and, several minutes later, he draped the cloak across his shoulders before falling to his side with his head laying on top of the arm rest.

-

Bakura walked through the worn, empty hallway with the feeling of being watched. He looked up at the walls and found himself staring into the faces of assorted monsters and magical beings that he recognized from cards Ryou referred to as Duel Monsters playing cards, as well as from a thousand years ago and earlier. His footprints seemed to fill the emptiness that echoed in his ears. He winced, half in surprise, as the pharoah's voice rang just behind him.

"Whatever you do, try to be careful. My memories do not want to be discovered, and I cannot be held responsible if anything should happen."

"Naturally." Bakura simply smirked. "You know as well as I that I have expirience in this type of raid. In fact, these cavernous chambers bear a striking resemblence to your own tomb, my Pharoah, even if it was only half finished when I took my leave."

"I recall this was a complex ritual, but not unknown amongst those whose minds dwelled upon magic. Why can you not simply search the scrolls of your own mind?"

"This is much simpler than trying to decipher the riddles buried in my unkempt scripture. Though your presence proves distraction enough to complicate the process," Bakura grumbled under his breath.

"Then I'll leave you to your thoughts."

-

Ryou awoke suddenly, blinking his eyes open to the light of the room, which he had neglected to turn out. He, too, was surprised by the pharoah's sudden input.

"He's determined to make it by himself into the depths of my mind like those that even I have never known."

Ryou, now sitting upright, looked half-through the ghostly spirit standing nearby. "I don't suppose you could tell me what you two are doing, now, could you?"

"It would be difficult to explain. I am sorry, but it will be easier to show you later."

"He doesn't want any advice, even?"

"He would rather I not stay long enough to give it."

"Yes... He does preffer to be alone..." Ryou's eyes, directed foreward and slightly averted, were unfocused as he spoke, giving him a distant appearance.

"No." The pharoah spoke in a voice that demanded respect. "He simply cannot fogive me for events thousands of years past that I had little control over. It is not that he wishes for solitude, only that my presence is a burden on his heart and mind."

The silence that followed seemed to last forever, but not nearly long enough, as Ryou carefully turned this thought over in his mind. Then, suddenly, his stomach lurched, and Ryou had a sudden feeling of falling, as though the floor had gone from beneath his feet, and a nearly unexplainable fear overtook him. It seemed as though the pharoah must have felt something, as well, as he had suddenly gone. As he sat tense on the couch, he tried to think clearly.

After only a few seconds, Ryou fell limp, sideways, on the couch.

---

Ugh... Finally found out how to get this stinkin' chapter done. Still not sure what the ritual's s'posed to be, though, yet... Gotta figure that out...


	24. The Stone Slab

Double Meaning

gninaeM elbuoD

(( Mondai Senshi ))

x-

GAH! Okay, that was WAY too long of a pause, now please, people, DON'T KILL ME!

Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.

x-x-x-x-

Ryou tore through the hallway, slammed his shoulder into the heavy stone door, and quickly slipped through. He headed for a flight of stairs, down a hallway, and effortlessly past the ghosted mage who guarded a doorway. He skidded to a stop as he quickly turned a corner, never questioning which way to turn or wondering if it might be dangerous. Once his shoe caught on a rock pressing out from the floor, but his hand only grazed the soft, cold sand before he slammed his other foot beneath him and pressed on.

The room was brightly lit, making a stark contrast from the rest of the chambers he'd passed. Ryou could run no longer. His feet ached and his head was pounding, but this was dwarfed by the heavy slamming of his heart. It was clear that Bakura, or maybe the pharoah himself, had set off quite a few traps in the room, but as some lead directly to the door, he surely must have made it through. Yet why did Ryou not want to pass into those chambers?

It was only then, with a heavy gasp for air, did Ryou realize that he was not the only one breathing, quite heavily, in that room. Bright as it may have been compared to the rest of the catacombs, the room was still rather large, and lit only with a sparce placement of torches around the room. Ryou gazed around himself with an intense stare, which was met with a glint from the white shine of Bakura's hair.

All Ryou could do was stare, horrorstruck, completely forgetting his own exhaustion. Bakura was pressed against the wall, pinned by a flat stone surface, the shaft of an arrow protruding from between the thief and his captivating barrier.

It was the Pharoah's sudden arrival, his footprints sounding not quite as quickly as Ryou's had, that finally encouraged Ryou to act.

He sprinted foreward, pressing his fingers into the crevice between the wall behind and the stone that held Bakura, then pried with all the strength he could summon. He was soon joined by the Pharoah, and Bakura's desperate rasping breaths turned to agonized screams.

Ryou's mind echoed Bakura's pained cries, his heavy gasps, his voice speaking gently in his ear, and Ryou's own prayers that, by strength or by miracle, Bakura's life may be saved.

The stone slab gave an inch, and Bakura's screaming grew slightly more faint. Another inch and he retreated to laboured groans. It became simpler to force this boulder against the pull of gravity, and before Ryou thought it could be possible, Bakura had pulled himself from the stone's path.

He lay on his side, unable to move and, at the same time, unwilling. Ryou flew to his side, fingering the puncture in Bakura's ribs, then brushing the platinum hair from his face. He looked almost peaceful, then, in a state of numbed consciousness.

Bakura's face contorted as he forced himself to his feet, staggering unsteadily. Ryou wrapped his arm beneath the thief's shoulders, steadying him with his own. Bakura stood, limp but strong, and forced a grin, accompanied by a slight chuckle.

"When first we were together, I was aware of you." Bakura spoke slowly, pained by the effort. "I remember how frightened you were when you first heard my voice, how pleased I was by your response. I'd never have thought I would be here, least of all on your account."

Ryou grinned, his eyes wet and sympathetic. "I'd not have you die for me. Let's get you back to your soul room."

Bakura groaned against the pain, but stood apart from his accomplice. "No." He began a slow stride towards the opposite door from which Ryou had come. "From here, I go alone."

This caused Ryou to flinch. He stood steady, yet still shaking, eyes lowered to the ground. Without a second thought the words spilled from his mouth. "You jackass! You dare to go, probably get yourself killed, and leave me without you?" His eyes were now narrowed, and shot directly at Bakura, who grinned back at him from the dim doorway.

"You forget, Omote-chan, the dead cannot die."

He emerged himself in darkness without another word, leaving Ryou standing in the torch-light, flames flickering in his eyes.

x-x-x-x-

I kinda lost the end of the chapter... T-T


	25. He Cannot

Double Meaning

gninaeM elbuoD

(( Mondai Senshi ))

x-

Alrighty, then, I guess mebbe I didn't do as badly as I thought on the end of the last chappie.

Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.

x-x-x-x-

Ryou felt completely useless as he sat on his sofa, fingering his own lead figurine. His eyes were as unfocused as his mind. He had meant to keep his attention on Bakura in case he should need to find him again, yet he could only see the malicious grin of the King of Thieves, dressed in his crimson robe, with a fierce scar beneath his eye.

x-

Bakura winced as he stepped heavily, his previous footstep's echo dieing. He poured over the faint shadows of carvings in the canvas of a wall before him, then strode awkwardly to the nearest torch, surveying the stone before him. Suddenly his eyes widened as he stared, unblinking, a look of amazed awe covering his face.

x-

"Hikari-san..."

Ryou groaned, but only rolled over in his bed.

"Hikari..."

He blinked his eyes open to see a ghosted shadow of Bakura standing beside his bed. He gave a puzzled look and, before he could speak, was answered.

"I cannot find it."

Ryou only gazed back, while Bakura soon vanished.

x-

"Why did you lie to him?"

Bakura stared at the wall, avoiding the pharoah's gaze. "He cannot hurt himself for my sake."

x-x-x-x-

Cliff-hanger-mania... XD But at least I updated this time


	26. Distrust

Double Meaning gninaeM elbuoD

(( Mondai Senshi ))

-x-

Okay, so I've had this for a while... Should have uploaded it a while ago...

Disclaimer: None of the characters in this fic belong to me, and no profit is being made in writing this story.

-x-x-x-x-

Ryou lay silently on his bed. Surely it could not be as simple as this. Bakura would never have given up without finding the answer he sought, especially over that which would release him from his eternal tomb, which denied him even death. No, the answer must have been in the labyrinth of the Pharoah's mind. Ryou rose and walked lightly to the door.

Suddenly he felt lightheaded, and the next thing he saw was his ceiling. Bakura sat beside Ryou, looking to the window. "You forget I can hear you speaking to yourself."

"Yami-chan," Ryou pleaded desperately, "you lied. You found the answer. There is a way, isn't there? Why won't you tell me?"

Bakura stared resolutely. He refused to speak, or even to turn around. Ryou lightly lifted the millennium ring from his neck and hung it on his bedpost, and his shadow's figure faded in the dreary afternoon light. He headed stubbornly towards the door.

-x-

The dull pounding was met after a short delay by a feeble call of "Yuugi, there's someone at the door!" Yuugi quickly grabbed his millenium puzzle and his coat and sprinted down the stairs, nearly falling onto his face in the process. He turned just enough at the bottom step to not run into a wall, and stopped just short of the door. When he flung it open, he was surprised to see Ryou, an urgent look of desperation on his face.

Yuugi called back to Sugaroku, "Grandpa, if Anzu shows up, let her know I'll be back soon!"

-x-

Although he wasn't sure why, Ryou had insisted on talking in a heavily shaded deserted allyway. His hand seemed to be moving by instinct alone, slowly stroking his neck as if hoping to come across the string of the millenium ring. "I hate to keep doing this, but I need to talk to the pharoah."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just sorry that's all I can do." Yuugi closed his eyes, only to open them seconds later with a harsher look in them. "Yes?"

"Do you," Ryou paused uncertainly before he pushed on. "Do you know what he found?"

"The spirit of the ring?" The pharoah asked, pausing not so much for confirmation as to better decide how to respond. "He found a ritual."

Ryou turned this word over in his mind. "A ritual...? Why wouldn't he tell me?"

"He was only trying to protect you. You are the first person he has cared about for thousands of years. He did not want to put you in danger in any way."

Again Ryou's mind filled with dark images, the cloaked figure in the shadows of a pyramid, sun-bleached hair painting shadows over his eyes, and a horendous scar beneath his blood-red eyes. "That jackass."

Yuugi blinked and watched his friend walk away, his stride resembling a limp despite its complete lack thereof.

-x-x-x-x-

Cliff-hanger-mania... XD But at least I updated this time 


End file.
